338 Winchester Magnum

[RayAtkinson]

A marriage made in Heaven, 338 and a big bore, A pair I recommended to my clients for 40 years or so, Not the only option but one of the best and if you bump into a buffalo or elephant with a swolen leg from a snare or whatever your PG gun can handle that quite well.

 

[hoytcanon]

@hoytcanon
WHY????
A properly loaded Whelen will do everything the 338WM will do and do it with more class and authority.
Bob

Because of physics, Bob, my good man! Don't worry... I will NEVER go down to one rifle, they are going to have to bury me with a dump truck load of metal and Walnut!

 

[hoytcanon]

I turned my last .338 WM into a .358-375 Ruger... lol... but this old dog learned new tricks and saved the original barrel. Lol... bottom rifle.

 

[Capebuffalo]

I turned my last .338 WM into a .358-375 Ruger... lol... but this old dog learned new tricks and saved the original barrel. Lol... bottom rifle.View attachment 586461View attachment 586462

I guess this must be as close as you can get to the 358 Norma Mag in appearance and ballistic wise....?

 

[hoytcanon]

I guess this must be as close as you can get to the 358 Norma Mag in appearance and ballistic wise....?

Yup, pretty dang close in a modern design with nice factory rifles to choose from... of course, I could have cut the chamber for the Norma, but just gotta be difficult, lol... and get a smidgen more velocity.

 

[RayAtkinson]

Good decision you never know when you might bump into jumbo or his friends that have a wire snare on their leg and you don't have enough gun to deal with the situation. The 338 can handle about any such mess if it has too..a lighter caliber may not? keep a few solids in your pocket if your in DG country..

 

[RayAtkinson]

Great caliber, due to circumstance my PH said use the 338 with a scope and shoot through that hole in the bush, I did and the bull ran 75 yards and stopped, standing straddle legged spewing blood out nose, and ran again as I approached, and I rolled him in a summersault with my 450-400 I've never seen so much blood loss, on dry grass and on my pants. It was an exciting hunt...I also witnessed a elephant kill with a 338 solid completely through the head. Good caliber for a second rifle on Safari//

 

[Daga Boy]

338 WM is a machine. Really, it will do just about everything that a 375 will do.

My grandfather used it for numerous cape, water, and forest buffalo, banteng, lion, leopard, giant eland, EA eland, brown bear, etc, etc, etc.

I've used the 338 for two leopards and dozens of bait animals and plains game animals.

It will kill about anything you'd care to point it at.

Its a fansatic cartridge , which typically outperforms a .375 ito penetration. Loaded with a strong bullet like a 275gr AFrame it will go right through either an eland or a buff shot side on. Just be careful about what's standing behind the target.

 

[BFaucett]

New member here and this is my first post. I thought I'd add a few of pics to thread.

Way back in 2000 (where has the time gone??), my friend Kate and I hunted plains game in the northern Limpopo Province (north of Alldays; near the Limpopo River) of South Africa. This was our first hunting trip to Africa. (I had been on a photo safari trip to Botswana in 1998.)

Kate's rifle: Ruger M77 Mk II in .338 Win Mag
Handload: 250 gr Nosler Partition at 2651 fps (chronographed, 10-shot average)
(I loaded the ammo.)

Here's two that she was very happy with and proud of:

BTW, Kate is all of 5' 2" (157.5 cm) in height. She handled the .338 very well. She reminded me of Osa Johnson. (Osa was also 5' 2" in height)

"Osa Johnson holds a Model 1895 Winchester in .405 Winchester, one of three that the Johnsons took on their 1924 Africa expedition."

The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

Safari Museum in Kansas - Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum featuring exhibits, including cultural heritage and Visual History collection resources. Tap for

safarimuseum.com

BTW: A few years later, Kate took a nice black bear in Canada with the same rifle and load. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo to post of that one.

Cheers! Bob F.

 

[hoytcanon]

New member here and this is my first post. I thought I'd add a few of pics to thread.

Way back in 2000 (where has the time gone??), my friend Kate and I hunted plains game in the northern Limpopo Province (north of Alldays; near the Limpopo River) of South Africa. This was our first hunting trip to Africa. (I had been on a photo safari trip to Botswana in 1998.)

Kate's rifle: Ruger M77 Mk II in .338 Win Mag
Handload: 250 gr Nosler Partition at 2651 fps (chronographed, 10-shot average)
(I loaded the ammo.)

Here's two that she was very happy with and proud of:

View attachment 678677

View attachment 678678

View attachment 678679

BTW, Kate is all of 5' 2" (157.5 cm) in height. She handled the .338 very well. She reminded me of Osa Johnson. (Osa was also 5' 2" in height)


View attachment 678680
"Osa Johnson holds a Model 1895 Winchester in .405 Winchester, one of three that the Johnsons took on their 1924 Africa expedition."

The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

Safari Museum in Kansas - Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum featuring exhibits, including cultural heritage and Visual History collection resources. Tap for

safarimuseum.com

BTW: A few years later, Kate took a nice black bear in Canada with the same rifle and load. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo to post of that one.

Cheers! Bob F.

Welcome, Bob F.
Kate sounds like a little azz-kicker! And those dimples are worth a million!
Congrats on some great experiences with a great friend.

 

[DJA2025]

So whats the general opinion of the 338 win mag. I am taking it to RSA for a mixed bag safari. I have a 375H&H for the big stuff.

I used a .338 in Africa last year shooting 225 Barnes TTXS bullets they shot very well and the only thing that ran of was the Zebra it only went about 50 yds. Model 70 Winchester

 

[Divernhunter]

I took my 338win mag to Africa both times I went. I t is great for all plains game. I shoot 225gr Swift A-Frames over 71gr IMR4350 and a Fed215 primer. Never had to chase any animal I shot. I strongly suggest using the 338Win Mag.

 

[Daga Boy]

An acquaintance took a .338 to Africa with premium projectiles for plains game and after loseing an Eland traded it for a .416RM (bad shot placement). Just take the .375H&H for everything.

If you want (IMO you don't need) two rifles on safari go a 7mm and .375 or .30-06 and .450+. The .338 and .375 are too close.

338 generally exceeds energy of 375 at 100m+ and it is good for anything with appropriate bullets

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

338 generally exceeds energy of 375 at 100m+ and it is good for anything with appropriate bullets

@Daga Boy
People say energy doesn't kill an animal but it sure as shit helps.
You can't sting a big animal to death with a smaller low energy calibre.
Choose a caliber with the right projectiles with the right energy in the right spot and it dies.

If'n energy doesn't matter why do the recommend minimum energy levels for game
Bob

 

[Ray B]

why do the recommend minimum energy levels for game
Bob
[/QUOTE]
Because energy is "the amount of work" something can accomplish. Energy is the lowest common denominator for evaluating the effectiveness of a cartridge. The other measurements are variations or supplements and are means of measuring how that energy is transferred.

 

[shootist~]

If kinetic energy is the only factor then a fast 300 magnum with 200+ grain bullets equals or exceeds a factory 300 grain 375 H&H at 100 yards. Energy is one factor, but not the only one.

My $02 is pick the one you can keep every shot in the kill zone at your desired distance - From the sticks. And preferably without dialing. What it does from the bench is a handy reference, but not as critical.

 

[sgt_zim]

@Daga Boy
People say energy doesn't kill an animal but it sure as shit helps.
You can't sting a big animal to death with a smaller low energy calibre.
Choose a caliber with the right projectiles with the right energy in the right spot and it dies.

If'n energy doesn't matter why do the recommend minimum energy levels for game
Bob

There's more to it than energy. Not saying energy isn't important, or that it isn't the most important factor, it just isn't the only factor.

300 PRC can launch a 150 gr bullet at 3500 fps for almost 4100 ft lbs, the same as a 300 gr at 2500 fps.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

There's more to it than energy. Not saying energy isn't important, or that it isn't the most important factor, it just isn't the only factor.

300 PRC can launch a 150 gr bullet at 3500 fps for almost 4100 ft lbs, the same as a 300 gr at 2500 fps.

@sgt_zim
On paper the may have similar energies but with similar bullet construction the penetration factor will be different.
A22-250 with a 55 gn bullet has more muzzle energy than a 30-30 150gn but one kills medium game emphatically while the other will more likely wound.
Change bullet construction and it's a whole new ball game. That's why cartridges that were regarded as minimal or borderline are now more than capable of harvesting medium game.
Bullet technology has come along in leaps and bounds. Now we have good bonded bullets, projectiles like the A frame and the Barnes TTSX & tsx and others.
This has meant that ultra high velocity projectiles will now hold together and drive deep even at closer range.
To me the most important factors are right calibre, right projectile and right spot. Combine these and the result will always be dead animal regardless of energy.
Bob